Chapter 634: Northern Yuan Defeat

Defeat.

Like the first rolling stone of an avalanche.

Once it begins.

It becomes irreversible.

The Iron Anvil Battalion's counterattack, which erupted after receiving the tiered Ability Granting.

Chen Wen personally led the guard cavalry in a precise piercing and clearing of the Yin Energy nodes.

These two heavy blows.

They almost simultaneously struck the most vulnerable and crucial part of the Northern Yuan vanguard cavalry cluster.

On the front, the 'Inlaid Crystal' elite, originally meant to act as the spearhead of the breakthrough, collided headfirst with the Iron Anvil Battalion's suddenly enhanced strength, ending up bloodied.

They remained frenzied, still fearless of death.

But facing the Iron Anvil Battalion, whose strength, speed, reaction, and coordination had all surged.

Their frenzy turned into inefficient self-consumption.

Their bravery became a quicker fuse to death.

On the flank, as each Yin Energy node officer was singled out and killed by Chen Wen.

The small combat units of dozens or even hundreds, centered on them, instantly lost unified command and the core support of that frenzied energy.

The attack became chaotic and disordered.

The red light in the soldiers' eyes flickered bright and dim, at times frenzied, at times revealing a hint of instinctive bewilderment and fear.

The slight advantage in individual combat strength, once organization and coordination were lost, was quickly exploited, divided, and devoured by the Chen Jun Ying.

What's even more deadly is.

Chen Wen's 'Fortune Momentum insight' let him clearly grasp the emergence and spread of these 'chaotic' and 'weak' areas on the battlefield.

He was like the finest chess player.

Leading the sharpest 'Guard Blade'.

Within the vast Northern Yuan cavalry cluster.

Constantly roaming.

Constantly cutting in.

Constantly creating new sources of chaos.

Each piercing.

Was like hammering hard on an already cracked ice surface.

The cracks rapidly expanded.

Spread.

Connected.

The frontal charge was thwarted.

Flank Commander fell into disorder.

The two declining forces influenced each other, creating a vicious cycle.

Finally.

When Chen Wen, for the third time, led the guard cavalry out from a newly formed weak point at an angle.

He scattered a Northern Yuan hundred-man squad attempting to regroup into disarray.

And after he shot down the shouting colonel (a larger Yin Energy node) trying to steady the formation, knocking him from his horse.

The Northern Yuan vanguard cavalry cluster.

That taut string, twisted from fervent battle will and compulsory orders.

Snapped with a bang.

"Defeated!"

Who knows who, using some indistinct plains language, first let out a desperate howl.

This sound was like a plague.

It instantly spread contagiously.

The Northern Yuan cavalry that had still been madly crowding forward, trying to continue the charge.

Their movements showed obvious hesitation.

They looked around.

They saw comrades continually falling from their horses.

They heard the Chen Jun Ying's killing shouts growing louder and their own dying groans.

What they felt was that the 'fervor' that had always sustained and driven them was receding like a tide.

Taking its place.

Was icy fear.

And… a wave of weakness and discomfort rising from deep within their bodies, caused by the waning Yin Energy support.

"Retreat!"

"Fall back quickly!"

More shouts rang out.

This time, it was no longer a desperate wail, but an instinctive drive for survival.

The front-rank cavalry began to involuntarily rein in their horses and turn about.

The rear cavalry couldn't check their momentum in time and collided with those ahead.

The chaos intensified further.

They collapsed in retreat.

It had begun.

At first it was just a few small groups.

Then it became several dozen groups.

Then several hundred groups.

Finally.

They coalesced into a filthy black torrent, frantically fleeing northward.

They abandoned their banners.

They discarded their cumbersome weapons.

They even mercilessly trampled their wounded comrades who had fallen from their horses.

All to run a little faster.

From the Chen dynasty troops behind them, who seemed like heavenly soldiers descending.

A little farther.

"You want to run?!"

Shi Dun was drenched in blood, resembling a mad tiger.

Seeing the enemy retreat, the ferocity in his eyes grew stronger.

"Iron Anvil Battalion!"

"Chase them, you bastards!"

"Crush them! Don't let this rabble catch their breath!"

"Pursue!"

The soldiers of the Iron Anvil Battalion, endowed with strength, had their stamina and fighting spirit at their peak.

Hearing this, they hesitated not at all.

They moved with steps still heavy but now much swifter.

Holding spears aloft, they swung their battle blades.

Like a black torrent.

They turned around.

Toward the fleeing Northern Yuan cavalry.

They trampled over them!

They did not seek an overly deep pursuit.

But they acted like the most efficient reapers.

They cut down the slow runners, the wounded fallen, and any scattered Northern Yuan remnants trying to turn back and resist.

Swiftly clearing them away.

Expanding their battle gains.

Consolidating their advantage.

Chen Wen reined in his warhorse.

He did not join the pursuit.

He stationed his horse at the center of the battlefield.

Around him lay corpses in disarray and shattered weapons.

The stench of blood was thick enough to suffocate.

But his breathing remained steady.

His gaze was calm.

"Fortune Momentum Insight" continued to unfold.

Clearly sensing the flow of momentum across the entire battlefield.

The overall momentum of the Northern Yuan army was collapsing and dissipating at an unprecedented speed.

Especially in the direction of the central command.

That vast and subtle "pulling force" had become extremely chaotic and violent.

It was as if the spider at the center of the web, enraged by the mass escape of its prey, had flown into a fury.

But more than that, it was a shock and fury at their plans being utterly thwarted… and perhaps a faint, hardly perceptible weakness?

Chen Wen's eyes narrowed slightly.

He looked toward the base of the tallest banner of the Northern Yuan central command.

Through layer upon layer of obstruction.

He "saw".

There.

That conspicuously striking energy core.

Its light was flickering violently, flashing on and off.

As if something intense was clashing or backlashing inside.

"The catalysis was forcibly interrupted……"

"Did the energy backlash?"

Chen Wen guessed in his heart.

This may be the price of forcibly stimulating the grain, relying on external energy links to maintain the army's frenzied state.

Once the battlefield collapses, the links break on a large scale, and the energy circulation becomes unbalanced.

The caster themselves will likely have to suffer severe backlash.

"My lord!"

The commander of the personal guards rode up on horseback, his face flushed with the excitement and reverence after the fierce battle.

"The enemy army has collapsed! Our forces are pursuing! Should we expand our gains and strike straight at their central command?"

Chen Wen shook his head.

"Know when to stop."

"The power bestowed upon our troops is time‑limited; the enemy's main force remains unharmed, and their central command is still intact."

"To rush in recklessly—if they are a cornered beast still fighting, or if there are hidden ambushes, we could meet disaster."

He glanced at the battlefield, where although the troops had fled, their organization had not yet completely collapsed—especially the northern Yuan units, whose central units remained orderly.

"Give the order to Shi Dun: pursuit must not exceed ten li."

"Just scatter the fleeing soldiers, gather our wounded and the spoils."

"Order the other cavalry units to patrol the flanks, guarding against enemy counterattacks."

"Yes!"

The commander of the personal guards accepted the order and quickly sent someone to relay it.

Chen Wen then turned his gaze northward once again.

The fleeing northern Yuan cavalry receded like a retreating tide.

Smoke and dust still filled the sky.

But that imminent, suffocating sense of oppression.

Had already dissipated.

A seemingly doomed defense of the city.

Because of his breakthrough in battle and his decisive bestowal.

It was forcibly turned into a great victory of counterattack and routing the enemy.

However.

Chen Wen felt little joy in his heart.

He could feel it.

The northern Yuan central command's turbulent, furious "momentum" was re‑contracting and coalescing.

Although it had weakened considerably.

But the malice.

Yet had become purer.

Colder.

Like a wounded venomous snake.

It had withdrawn into its den.

Licking its wounds.

Waiting for the next.

A more deadly bite.

"Still not enough……"

Chen Wen muttered softly to himself.

He shattered the vanguard and thwarted their full‑scale assault.

It was certainly a great victory.

But it did not damage the northern Yuan's foundation.

That "catalyst source" deep in the grasslands still remains.

The threat of the Iron Crow Army remains.

Over in the False Song world, Yue Fei's situation will probably only become more difficult.

He must make use of the time bought by this victory.

To do more.

To think farther ahead.

He turned his horse around.

Looked toward the west.

In the direction of the light curtain.

His eyes were deep.

"Give the order to Zhang Cheng."

"Step up gathering intelligence on the 'mother nest' deep in the grasslands."

"Notify Qian Gui, use every means to infiltrate the False Song world, and grasp as much as possible of the Yuan army's movements and the latest situation of Yue Fei's forces."

"Tell Zhao Lao Nian……"

He paused.

He sensed the still‑weak, tense connection to the northwest.

"I am waiting for his news."

"Yes."

The personal guards beside him responded solemnly.

Chen Wen no longer spoke.

He rode his horse slowly toward Zhenbei Pass.

Behind him.

It was a battlefield that was gradually calming but still shocking to behold.

And.

A sun slowly sinking into the western mountains.

Blood-colored setting sun.

The lingering glow of victory.

Shining upon the blood-stained armor and banners.

Yet it could not dispel.

That which came from further north.

And the far side of the light curtain.

Deep shadows.